Constituents win tickets to see pope

New York's senior senator set up lottery for 100 pairs of tickets

By Dan Freedman, Hearst Newspapers

Published 8:27 pm, Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Washington

Sen. Chuck Schumer could have distributed the 100 pairs of tickets he received for the visit of Pope Francis to the Capitol on Sept. 24 to supporters, contributors and other assorted high rollers on New York's political and financial landscape.

But instead, he set up a region-by-region lottery, open to anyone and "not based on who you know," as Schumer put it.

On Wednesday, he announced the results of the lottery, which included nine pairs of tickets to lucky winners from the Capital Region. Just over 11,000 New Yorkers from across the state were competing for the 100 pairs.

The tickets entitle the winners to witness the pope's appearance at the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, which Schumer likened to seeing the pope in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

"For so many people who admire the Holy Father, Catholic or not, the ability to see him is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Schumer on a conference call with reporters.

Unable to navigate his sly Brooklyn sense of humor around an obvious joke, Schumer quipped: "Will these lucky winners be happy to see the Holy Father? Well, I have to ask you, is the pope Catholic?" In a more serious vein, Schumer said the progressive pope brings a new level of excitement to his tour of the U.S., which begins in Washington on Sept. 22 and also includes visits to New York City and Philadelphia.

Stanton of Selkirk said he'd enter the lottery without telling his wife, Dianna. The two were at the State Fair in Syracuse when Stanton got the call, which he let go to voice mail.

When he checked his voicemail and told his wife, her reaction was: "Why didn't you tell me you entered the lottery?"

The two were married in a Catholic church in the Syracuse area in 2012. Stanton, 37, just started his own business, Northeast Equipment Connections LLC, which sells agricultural and construction equipment.

They're excited to be going, Stanton said. "How many times are you able to see the Pope?" he said. "To actually see him in person — or be close to him — it's a big deal."

Since his investiture in 2013, Pope Francis has broken ranks with predecessors as an avowed progressive unafraid to lighten the church's hard line on taboo subjects such as homosexuality and abortion.

Stanton said he applauds the pope's outspokenness. "I'm a younger guy, and I appreciate him encouraging people my age or younger to join the church, to feel more welcome," he said. "He's really involving the church in more modern things."

Another winner, Michele Edwards of Clifton Park, entered the lottery on behalf of her 82-year-old mother, Delores, who has always wanted to see the pope live.

"All summer long, my Mom has been talking about wanting to meet the pope since she was a little girl," Edwards said. "She can't believe it."

Edwards, 53, and a Siena College graduate (class of '84), heard about the lottery on her way to work at the State Police headquarter's traffic section, where she handles financial and statistical data for federal grant programs.

Her mother "feels like this is the best gift she ever received," Edwards said. "My mother is a gracious woman, a devout Catholic and she couldn't be more thrilled."

Edwards added: "If she had a bucket list, this would be at the top of it."